One of the first things your ophthalmologist will tell you about cataract surgery is that everyone recovers at a different rate. They may tell you that it will take anywhere from a day to a week to see clearly after surgery, and approximately a month to recover completely. Some of the variation in the healing process has to do with your own genetics and the anatomy of your eye. But there are also a few things you can do after cataract surgery to help ensure you recover as quickly as possible.
1. Avoid driving, reading, or looking at screens for at least a day.
During the first day after cataract surgery, it is best to completely rest your eyes as much as possible. This really allows your eyes to jump-start the healing process. Don't drive, don't look at screens, and don't attempt to read a book. As much as you can, just rest with your eye closed. Your surgeon will probably send you home with a patch or dark glasses to wear over the eye that was operated on; make sure you wear it. The more you rest this first day, the faster you'll recover overall.
2. Don't bend over or lift anything heavy.
When you bend over, additional pressure is placed on your eye. Lifting heavy things also puts pressure on your eyes. If you avoid lifting objects and bending over, then you should experience a faster healing time from cataract surgery. Make sure you have someone staying with you at home who can pick up things that you drop, help you put your socks on, and lift things for you. This is most important during the first few days, but if you can continue it for a week or two, that's even better.
3. Use your eye drops as advised.
After cataract surgery, you will generally be sent home with an antibiotic eye drop and also a steroid eye drop. These drops are not just to help you feel better, although they do that, too. The steroid helps speed up healing, and the antibiotics help prevent infection, which indirectly speeds up healing. As annoying as it can be to have to use eye drops every few hours, you need to make sure you're doing it. Set an alarm to remind you to use your drops, if needed.
For more information on cataract surgery and the healing process, contact your eye doctor.
Share23 June 2021
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